The Locket
by Neko no Baka
Summary: It all started with a innocent gift.


Older fic that i'm finally posting here. So much to do. Ok, so keep in mind, in my version after the end of Inuyasha the well still works.

Done for the Saholia's 'Hidden' Challenge.

The Locket

By Lunaticneko aka NekonoBaka (old name)

Kagome wiped her head as she walked back to the village from herb gathering. The heat had been unbearable the last few weeks and a few people in town suffered heat stroke. So her best friend, Inuyasha, was now out hunting to help out. 'Though, … ' as she noticed from a distance, 'the heat didn't seem to slow one child.'

A small smile appeared as she watched Rin chase after a butterfly in the field, her Lord watching from underneath a nearby tree. Some of his visits to his ward would be as brief as a simple passing through and others a few days at a time. On his longer visits Kagome would try to engage him in conversation.

'Keyword try.' Kagome shook her head as she approached her hut the villagers built for her. 'But at least he's opening up …a bit.' She found asking normal questions, as in 'how are you?' were received with a dismissive one word answer that lead the conversation nowhere. Now if she mentioned things involving Rin, he actually would respond back and maybe if she was lucky with a question of his own. Putting the herbs in the corner of the hut, she walked back out to the stoic lord.

Sesshoumaru glanced over to see the oddity of a miko approaching. He suppressed a smirk. 'What will she try to talk about today I wonder?' Over the course of time their conversation had picked up from just talking about Rin, to the miko's adventures or things in her time. At times he would pretend to be bored, and she just try all the harder to entertain him, which amused him to no end. His new favorite past time was to stare at her oddly when she was talking. She would get extremely uncomfortable and quickly ramble on in long explanations that never seemed to end till he stopped. It was to the point that it wasn't a proper visit if he hadn't seen her as well.

She came to sit besides him completely unaware of his thoughts. "Hello Sesshoumaru, enjoying the sun?" She received a bored stare. 'Right subject change…' She watched Rin while her mind tried to come up with something. "Rin has been doing well, regardless of the heat." Kagome let loose a laugh. "I thought Rin seemed energetic before, but every time you come she seems to have the energy of the sun itself."

"Hn. Rin does have a excitable personality." He replied as his eyes were once again on his ward.

Kagome smiled over at him. "Yes, and it's your visit's that make her the happiest."

He looked at the miko for a moment, as if weighing her worth, before looking back to Rin. "She pleases this Sesshoumaru as well."

Her smile only grew as she looked back at the child. It was swiftly turned into a slight frown as a thought struck her. 'Did he get lonely without her?' She knew Rin was important enough to him that he visited her and seen to her safety by putting her in this town against her wishes. 'He must miss having her around as well.' An idea came to her, and she shot up earning the odd glance from the Daiyoukai. "I'll be right back." With that she hurried back to her hut.

Entering the small structure, she wasted no time and ran over to a large chest. Lifting the lid she started digging through it. After a moment a shout of triumph sounded. "Found it!" Clutching the camera to her she ran back.

Coming back to the field she put a hand on her knee while attempting to catch her breath. She spared a glance to where the Daiyoukai was. 'Did he just smirk at me?' She brushed it off, straightening herself as she looked at her subject in the field, and got started. Occasionally walking around to get a different angles. A few pictures later she was done, and came back to Sesshoumaru. "Can you come back in one week?"

He furrowed his brow at the request but nodded.

"Great! I'll have something for you. See you then." She made a hurried exit toward the well, eager to get started on her surprise.

As asked Sesshoumaru came a week later. Kagome reached into her bell like sleeves and pulled out a golden locket with a thick chain, holding it out to him. "Here's something I think you might appreciate."

He took it and glanced the object over. Looking back up at her he rose a brow to get an explanation.

The futuristic miko huffed, and crossed her arms. "Open it."

Looking at the golden oval again, he saw a claps he had previously overlooked. With a flick of his clawed finger it opened, and his eyes widened in surprise to see a small print of his ward smiling holding out a butterfly she had caught.

"It's a photograph made using a camera, the odd machine I used last week." She explained. He nodded and she continued. "Usually the picture is larger, so I had it shrunk down to fit into the locket. This way you'll always have her with you." Both also heard the words left unspoken. 'even after she's gone.'

His eyes warmed slightly at the thoughtful gift, and he slipped it into his robe to be put on later. Reaching out he placed a hand on her head surprising her, and then did something even rarer. "Thank you." The gentle tenor in his voice left her feeling warm, as a feeling of content satisfaction went through her. She grinned up at him. "No problem. I'm glad you like it."

"Hn." Then he let his hand slip off her head, and walked past her to check on Rin. 'This Sesshoumaru will have to repay the miko for this.'

Watching him walk away, Kagome smiled as she touched the locket underneath her shirt. Unknown to Sesshoumaru, hidden within her own locket was a picture of him she'd taken the same day she took Rin's. He had become a strange friend in some ways, and she couldn't help but want to keep him close as well. He intrigued her, like most she was sure, and she couldn't help but wish to know more about the slightest youkai lord. Slowly as they began talking, her respect for him turned into something more. She smirk at the thought of Inuyasha reaction if he ever found out about it. She was sure even Sango would lift a brow. This would have to be her little secret.

I was going to make this a one shot, but I think I keep it as a drabble/oneshot collection and try to develop their relationship. I have some ideas to continue with, but this probably will take a bit to update. Feedback and opinions welcomed!


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